Recently in Relaxers Category

Over the years, our research teams noticed a puzzling inconsistency in the rate of relaxing process: the same Sensitive Scalp Relaxers showed radically different activity, even though they were applied to the same single hair fibers. A close analysis of the procedures allowed us to find that such inconsistency occurs when the prepared Sensitive Scalp Relaxer (also known as No-Lye, Guanidine Hydroxide, etc) is not promptly applied.

In order to explain the unusual effect, we devised an experiment that tested several consecutive sections of the same hair fiber with the same relaxer. Only the first section was exposed to the fresh relaxer while the next fragment of hair was subjected to the same relaxer formula, which had been sitting on the bench for a selected amount of time. This procedure allowed for us to control a delay time between mixing and the moment of application.

Since some of you may have some general questions lingering about permanent waving, I'll quickly go over some generalities that might some common issues:

Happy New Years everyone. I wish you all a profitable and successful 2009.

I wanted to briefly talk about the impact of humidity, even though many of us in the north are a long ways from dealing with the issue. Infact we are probably longing for humid weather than the current cold and dry conditions we experience around this time of year.

In truth, humidity impacts all hair in a similar manner. Under high humidity, hair that has been styled counter to its natural texture tends to "go back home" to its original state. Curls in naturally straight hair will droop; wavy or curly hair worn in a straight style will return to its original waves and curls; excessively curly hair will tend to curl up or frizz.

With the latter hair type, however, the impact of humidity is simply more noticeable and the transition back to the original texture seems more dramatic. Even when African-descent hair is chemically relaxed to alter the natural texture, high humidity causes the hair shaft to swell, and hair reverts back towards its original texture somewhat. This is because relaxers are designed to remove a certain degree of the excessive curliness - not all of it.

image courtesty of: ohnotheyd!dn't

No-Lye No-Mix relaxers are based on lithium hydroxide as an active ingredient while other ingredients in the relaxer cream are very similar to Lye relaxers. The reaction of lithium hydroxide with the excessively curly hair is also similar to Lye and No-Lye relaxers. The one-third of the cystine bonds of the hair change to lanthionine bonds, leaving two-thirds of the cystine bonds still in tact.

The major advantage of lithium hydroxide over sodium or potassium hydroxide is that it is slightly less irritating to the scalp than sodium or potassium hydroxide.

However, lithium hydroxide is not as effective in straightening excessively curly hair and in order to achieve acceptable level of straightening, more lithium hydroxide has to be added to the cream relaxer formula.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers lithium hydroxide relaxers as no-lye relaxers and the manufacturers of relaxers call this category as a No-Lye and No-Mix relaxer to exploit this fact. This relaxer system is not as efficient in straightening hair as sodium, potassium, or guanidine hydroxides, which is probably why this type of relaxer system enjoys limited success in the market place.

There are a wide array of styles and textures available to today's salon clientele. With so many options, the ability to switch from one look to another has never been more important.

To answer the question--can relaxed hair be stripped?--it is necessary that we first understand the chemistry of the hair, as well as the lanthionization (relaxation) process.

When two or more polypeptides align themselves parallel to each other, and their cysteines (amino acid) combine with each other to form cystine or disulfide bonds across these polypeptides, a keratin fiber is created in the process.

Hair, or keratin according to chemical terminology, is made up of polypeptides. (Polypeptides are made up of amino acids -- the basic unit of protein.) Polypeptides are aligned in a parallel fashion and are cross linked with cystine bonds (also called disulfide bonds). Note that cystine bonds have two sulfur atoms.

When excessively curly hair is chemically straightened with hydroxide-based relaxers, (i.e., sodium, potassium, lithium, and guanidine hydroxide, etc.) approximately one-third of the cystine bonds are changed to lanthionine bonds. The lanthionine bond has only a single sulfur atom; one sulfur atom less than the cystine bond of virgin hair.

With the state of the current US financial markets the way that they are, many should be getting accustomed to wild swings in daily performance. I figured that now would be an apt time to discuss the pH of hair during relaxing. The pH of the hair goes through considerable changes during the relaxing process and it is appropriate to discuss these changes because such changes can be made to play a positive role in the art and science of relaxing hair. The following events take place before, during, and after relaxing with respect to the pH of the hair, swelling of the hair, and the state of cuticles:

I recently created a channel on YouTube, so from now on, please be sure to check here and my YouTube channel for new videos. Here are a few YouTube clips from the latest FiberGuard Bridge Conditioning Serum DVD:

Chapter 1:

I wanted to re-introduce everyone to the new and improved Syntonics brand. The emphasis of Syntonics will be developing solutions for hairstylists that contain natural and botanical ingredients that will functionally work in synergy to maintain the integrity of your hair and scalp while providing excellent results.

Please note that we are not just dumping natural ingredients into our products like some other brands, just for the sake of marketing. Each ingredient has been tested for effectiveness and used in a specific concentration in order to repair the scalp and hair during and after the relaxing process.

In my slides I will cover the Syntonics Relaxer System, Maintenance Products, and Finishing Products. As always, feel free to ask any questions in the comments section.

Here's a paper I helped author back in 1998 regarding recent advances in the treatment of excessively curly hair. While I know that 1998 was ten years ago, the paper contains good content regarding the history of relaxers as well as how modern-day relaxers work.

Recent Advances in Treating Excessively Curly Hair

Cationic polyamines and starch hydrolysates

Ali N. Syed, Hasan Ayoub and Anna Kuhajda

Avlon Industries Inc., Bedford Park, IL USA

In literature, innovation is defined as the initiation or adoption of new products, processes or ideas by organizations. Such innovations have taken place in the care of excessively curly hair. These developments did not catch the attention of the masses in the US because a relatively small segment of the population possesses curly hair. On a worldwide scale, however, the number becomes larger when we include individuals from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, Asia and North America, According to some estimates, this segment with excessively curly hair has grown to equal a $1.5 billion (US) industry.

A History

Before discussing the history of the curly hair-care industry, it is necessary to understand the nature of excessively curly hair. Compared to straight hair, excessively curly hair is like a twisted ribbon in terms of its physical configuration. It is difficult to comb both in its wet and dry states, is hard to style and is highly unmanageable. More fragile than straight hair, excessively curly hair breaks more readily upon stretching, excessive combing and brushing. Thus, excessively curly hair requires special handling and specially formulated products that are different from Caucasian hair-care formulas.

I know the taboo in the industry, that relaxing and coloring on the same day is a big no-no, but we at Avlon aren't worried about what can't be done; we are focused on bringing professional stylists new possibilities and new solutions.

Our hottest and latest solution, the FiberGuard Bridge Conditioning Serum will enable stylists to relax and color the same day when using the serum with a FiberGuard relaxer system and our MoisturColor permanent color system. I'd say over 20 years of research have gone into the creation of this tiny yet potent product.